Video comparator using vidicons with delayed scanning



United States Patent [50] Field ofSearch l78/6(lnd),

[72] Inventor Johnlroll Ridgefleid, Connecticut 7.7, 6.8; 356/168 211 Appl. No. 736,305 [22] Filed June 12, 1968 [56] References Cited [45] Patented Dec. 8, 1370 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Assisnee Ovim "P 3,049,588 8 1962 B n 178'6 IND Cheshire, emu: l I a comnflon f Delaware Primary Examiner-Richard Murray Assistant Examiner-Howard W. Britton Attorney-Hopgood and Calimafde [54] VIDEO COMPARATOR USING VIDICONS WITH DELAYED SCANNING ABSTRACT: A pair of vrdicons are employed to scan sample 2 cmmsz Drawing Figs and standard profiles, respectively. The two vidicon outputs [52] US. 1 178/6.8, are synchronized in time and compared through a differential l78/7.7, 356/168 comparator. A comparator signal which is above a predeter- [51] lntJ H04n 3/30, mined threshold is employed to indicate the lack of coinl-l04n 7/18 cidence and rejection of the sample.

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may AMP. woman I OF'F SCI" can P. cournoi. MISIIHOl-D I cmcw'r 5) l n 3 10 AMP W0! con f i vmso COMPARATOR USING ygggogs wrm DELAYED SCANNING BACKGROUND 1? INVENTION This invention pertains generally to the evaluation of unit profiles and in particular tothe rejection of such profiles that do not meet a predetermined standard.

The conventional evaluation of unit profiles such as wire diameters, bullet cross sections, necking area of fuses, and so on, take many forms. One such arrangement calls for a programming of the unit standard comparisons are then made against the program and a deviation from the program results in an indication of rejection. This programming type of arrangement accommodates the standard signal either in a computer sense where digitalized units give an analogue response for the standard signal"- or as a stored (for example, magnetically stored) signal to be summoned by a code word.

\ In either event, the system tends to become cumbersome where several different-typeset unit profiles are being inspected and each profile calls for a separate program. These arrangements are further extremely slow in that it is not possible to expeditiously adapt tolnew unprogrammed units.

The mechanical evaluation 'of samples even more acutely displays the foregoing disadvantages. Here a mechanical-type programming is involved. For example, automated micrometer readings or masking techniques are programmed which require significant set up procedures in order to evaluate each particular unit. Needless to say, such an arrangement also required substantially greater time considerations in changing programs to accommodate different units.

OBJECTS Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an arrangement for evaluating the profile of unit samples in a simple automatic and economic manner.

it is the further object of this invention to accomplish the foregoing object with apparatus exhibiting a quick response.

And, it is a still further object of this invention to accomplish the foregoing objects with an apparatus which is extremely flexible, and which is capable of evaluating different samples against correspondingly different standards with minimum transition time.

SUMMARY or INVENTION Briefly, the invention is predicated upon the concept of comparing the output signals of a pair of vidicons one of which scans the sample and the other which scans the standard. Suitable means are employed to ensure synchronism of the vidicons. A threshold device monitors the output of a differential comparator coupled to the respective vidicons. Any signal exceeding the threshold indicates a rejected sample.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will best be understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, the description of which follows.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE lNVENTlON For the purposes of illustration, the invention shall be described with reference to the comparison of a sample bullet with a standard. It is tobe'clearly understood, however, that used herein is intended to include not only physical or spatial profiles, but-also black, white, and color variation profiles.

Turning now to FlG.- 1,-a standard bullet 11 is placed against a suitable backdrop 10 selected for its contrast. With light emanating from the forefront of the drawing, backdrop 10 would preferably be a highly light absorbent material such as black felt. Sample bullet 21 is likewise placed against a similar backdrop 20.

While the illustration shows an ideal situation it will be appreciated that the bullet may in fact be positioned anywhere along the production line against such a backdrop. The standard bullet would be oriented as closely as possible to that of the sample. e

A pair of lenses 13 and 23 focus the respective images of the two bullets on the faces ofa pair ofvidicons 12 and 22, respectively.'The vidicon is a small television camera tube offering 600 line resolutionand it is both small in size and simple in construction. The tube includes a signal electrode composed of a transparent conducting film on the inner surface of the face plate and a thin layer of photoconductor material deposited on the signal electrode. Each elemental area of the photoconductor may be analogized to a leaky capacitor with one plate electrically connected to the signal electrode and the other plate floating except when commutated bythe elec tron beam. i

Initially, the gun side of the photoconductive surface is. charged to cathode potential by the electron gun thus leaving a'charge on each elemental capacitor. During the scan these capacitors discharge in accordance with the value of their leakage resistance which is in turn determined by the amount of light falling on that area. Hence, there appears on the gun side of the photoconductive surface a positive potential pattern corresponding to the pattern of light from the scene.

imaged on the opposite surface or face of the vidicon.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art numerous other grids and coils are included to provide the proper fields, beam velocity, scan, and output signals. Suffice to say that each vidicon will, by these means, scan 600 times. horizontally (each time in a difl'erent vertical position) for each frame.

FIG. 2, which is not necessarily to scale, indicates the first two and a fraction scan lines. The reason for breaking the third scan line will become apparent as the description proceeds.

When it is desired to effect a comparison between the standard 11 in sample 21, comparison control 31 is energized (this may be automatically or manually) signalling a conventional scan control 14 for vidicon l2. vidicon 12 commences its high resolution scan as shown in FIG. 2 until the first output signal indicates that a scan of the unity profile has been commenced. As shown in FIG. 2, this will be partway through the third horizontal scan line. This signal is suitably amplified in amplifier 15 and is fed back to the'scan control to introduce a quiescent state and hold further scanning.

Simultaneously, this signal is employed to trigger scan control 24 of vidicon 22 which similarly commences its scan of bullet 21. Scan 24 continues until the first output of the vidicon 22, through amplifier 25, indicates that it'has made its incipient scan of the bullet. The output of amplifier 25 is employed to reestablish the scanning of the standard bullet by vidicon 12.Thus, both scans are now proceeding at approximate synchronization. Precise synchronization may be achieved by a suitable delay 31. The two amplified vidicon signals are now fed to a differential comparator 32, which may be of the conventional differential amplifier type where the output responds to the difference between the inputs. The output of the differential comparator is fed to any conventional threshold device whoseparametric value is setvdepending threshold is exceeded, a reject signal may either be annunthe invention applies with like import to any unit which offers sufficient background contrast to be evaluated. Thus, for example, even the label applied to a medicine bottle could be scanned for relative position orcontent. The word profile as and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention as set forth other of said sample and standard by the other of said in the objects thereof. vidicons; I i

lclaim: means for reinitiating the scanning of the halted vidicon in 1. Apparatus for evaluating the profile of a unit sample response to a signal indicating object profile intersection comprising: 5 by said other vidicon; and 1 1 a means for comparing the output of said vidicons and indicating absences of coincidence.

2. The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for comparing the output of said vidicons comprises threshold means for indicating the rejection of a sample when the comparison of the signals received from said vidicons exceeds a predetermined threshold.

a pair of vidicons;

means for focusing the profile of a unit sample object and a unit standard object on said vidicons respectively;

means for initiating the scanning of one of said sample and said standard by the associated one of said vidicons;

means coupled to the scanning vidicon and responsive to a signal indicating the intersection of the object profile to halt the scanning thereof and initiate the scanning of the 

